The following comes from a Jan. 31 story by the San Francisco Gate.
Father Alex Castillo, a clergyman in the Diocese of Oakland, has been placed on administrative leave following an allegation of inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor, diocese officials said.
“He is not allowed to function publicly as a priest while on administrative leave,” the diocese said. “As is normative for such a process, the diocese will not provide any further information on the matter during the investigation.”
Castillo was born in Costa Rica and worked at a software development company before joining the seminary. In 2008, he moved to the U.S. and completed his theological studies at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, according to a news release. He was ordained in 2011 by Salvatore Cordileone, the former bishop of Oakland.
It’s unclear when the alleged sexual misconduct occurred and when the allegation was made. Diocese officials said the case was referred to law enforcement because the church is a mandated reporter, but they did not provide any other details.
Castillo previously worked at the St. Anthony Parish in Oakley and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Fremont, according to the diocese. In 2017, Oakland Bishop Michael Barber appointed Castillo as the director of the department of faith formation and evangelization.
Thursday’s announcement comes months after Bay Area dioceses began releasing lists of priests accused of sexual abuse. Lists of credibly accused clergy have often named deceased priests or individuals who were already removed from the ministry.
Oakland diocese officials said in October that they would release the names of alleged abusers, but that report has still not been made public.
Melanie Sakoda, a Bay Area representative for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, called on state officials to investigate dioceses in California, noting that other states had obtained secret documents of diocese disciplinary records with search warrants.
“I hope at some point the government starts doing what they did in Texas, seizing the records, doing their own deep dive and seeing what they come up with,” she said.
Who is Sakoda? Name is in second to last paragraph. I can not see any title or other information elsewhere in the article.
Thank you for your comment. We have updated the story.
Alex Castillo also celebrated Mass and was a Confessor at St. Joseph the Worker in Berkeley, CA, as recently as December 6, 2018. The pastor of St. Joseph the Worker is none other than the Oakland Diocese’s official exorcist, Fr. Kenneth Nobrega.
So what’s your point?
I don’t understand why you’re bringing up the excorcism priest nobrega
Sadly the report withholds vital information such as (1) was this homosexual conduct? and (2) what was the age—child or teen? So many of the victims are teen boys.
It is overwhelming to think that the Bishop put this priest in charge of Faith Formation and Evangelization! It shows the spiritual poverty of the bishop and his priests.
There are lots of foxes in the henhouse.
While this is disturbing, I am pleased that law enforcement is involved. An accused priest has no rights in the church: allegation, removal from ministry, out of the loop, no defense. The legal system is more trustworthy to gather evidence and render justice. Unfortunately, this priest is tainted forever even if found innocent by all involved.
While I agree civil law enforcement must be involved, given the Bishops’ cover up record, I believe the accused is entitled to a vigorous defense. Innocent until PROVEN guilty.
Yes, innocent until proven guilty. Once proven guilty, don’t tolerate the abuse.
Andrew Cuomo is guilty, proven, but Dolan still tolerates him.
The point is that the Diocese’s claim that Fr. Castillo had not worked in a parish church — as reported in other news articles — is a lie.
Just look at the list of pedophile priests. Absolutely disgusting that Bishop Begin and Bishop Cummims covered up so many reports of child molestation in the past.